Opportunity Knocked But Once
by Merciful Heavens
Summary: Albus Dumbledore has a normal summer day changed into a very...interesting experience. MMAD


_**Author's Commentary—**_

_**This is a MMAD fanfic so…if you dislike that…take a hike. I do not own Harry Potter, we all know that. Please take the time to review if you enjoyed this little story.**_

_Opportunity Knocked But Once_

_By: Merciful Heavens_

It was a clear summer day and the Head Master of Hogwarts was sitting, bored, in his office. Normally he went on a well-deserved vacation, however, this summer he had stayed at the school.

His plans had included chess games with his Deputy, Professor McGonagall and long naps by a cozy fire. Now as Albus gazed out the window of his office, he wondered how a plan could go so wrong.

Everything had gone down hill that morning…

As usual, Albus had gone to eat breakfast in the Great Hall. It was an unusual year, with several teachers staying on at Hogwarts instead of going on a holiday. He had taken his place at the Head Master's seat and began eating. Professor Snape had gone on vacation, which was amazing since he usually just sulked around in the dungeons during the summer break. Professor Hooch was there however, and Albus had begun a fairly nice, but more so forced conversation with her. It had only lasted a short while, however, when she thanked him for "a pleasant chat" and left the room.

So, he had eaten his breakfast alone and then returned to his office. Never in all the years he had been Head Master, had Minerva McGonagall been late for breakfast. In fact he could never remember a time, she had been late for anything. Albus would probably have let it go at her sleeping in or grading papers if she had come in late. But she had not even showed up.

Albus had then made his way to his Deputy's personal rooms. Whistling a little tune he had heard over his last vacation, which had been in America, he had strode up to the ornately carved portrait and knocked. After several ignored attempts at bringing Minerva to the door, Albus had spoken the Gaelic password and cautiously entered.

Albus Dumbledore had never been inside Professor McGonagall's personal rooms before. They played chess in his office or occasional hers and talked in the same places. Her rooms could be easily described as immaculate in the very sense of the word. The walls were a deep **Gryffindor** red and the carpet matched splendidly. Furniture that was neatly arranged but simple made the room look comfortable. Still Albus had thought it looked a bit empty with no one in it.

The Head Master had made his way to the door that led to Minerva's bedchamber and silently opened the door. There he had found, to his great concern, his deputy lying on the floor. He had rushed over to her and finding her unconscious and having a high fever had taken her quickly to the infirmary.

He yawned back to the present. Minerva was sick from over working and a bit of the summer flu and Poppy, the med witch had put her to bed with a strict list of things she was not to do: leave the bed or wake up. And Albus could not nap because he was constantly awakened by an intense desire to make sure Minerva was all right. So far the twelve times he had checked she had been asleep.

Albus shook his head. He was called the greatest wizard since Merlin; yet he did not even have enough courage to admit he was in love. No…he was not **in** love…he had been **in perpetual** love for thirty some years.

The blue sky smeared and almost stained by clouds, told of possible showers. Albus looked intently up at it, wishing that something would simply drop from it to assist him.

_Tell her. _

Deep inside of him, Albus had heard the same little voice chiding him on for years. Once, he had even gone as far to as admit he loved someone to her. But not her. He had not told her that he had been talking about her.

Minerva McGonagall may have been one of the smartest and most cunning witches that the world had ever had, but she was as blind as a bat when it came to the deeply personal emotions of her employer and friend, Albus.

Fawks cocked his feathery head at him and Albus smiled. He had everything a man could ever want. A loyal pet. Good friends that could be depended on. A dedicated staff that enjoyed working for him and with him. Wonderful children that filled an entire school, all laughing and smiling as he passed them. Yet…the only thing he had really ever longed for was just beyond his reach. His own cowed heart kept him from it…Minerva's love.

_Why didn't you tell me?_

_I waited for you for so long!_

_I wasted all of my life on you!_

_You think I return your feelings?_

_Crazy old man!_

Minerva's face twisted into a horrible sneer filled Albus's mind and he groaned as he woke. The statements from his dream filled his mind, repeating themselves over and over like a broken record player. Which one was it, he asked himself.

Did she really love him and had waited all these years for him to steel himself and admit it? Or did she really just barely tolerate him as she did Severus Snape and merely brush him aside if he told her?

Finding that his mouth was dry, Albus made his way over to the wine chest. He took a good swallow of a 72, good year that it was and sighed. A sherbet lemon followed the wine and Albus felt his hammering heart begin to slow down. Suddenly as the sweet he was sucking on went down his throat, Albus had an idea. A large smile came across his face and a twinkle that only he possessed came into his eyes.

Later on the same day—

Minerva McGonagall groaned softly as she rolled over. With a low fever and chest pains, she could not remember feeling so bad before. But what was even worse than the fact she was ill, was that she was alone.

Hugging her pillow to her chest, Minerva closed her tired eyes. Pale white hands pulled the blanket tighter around her small frame and she shivered. A knock resounded from the door and the Transfiguration professor glared over at it. Not for all the water of the Thames was she going to get up and open it. Who in their right mind would bother her? Only one person came to mind and Minerva hated the idea of sending him away.

Forcing herself into a sitting position and clenching her teeth together, Minerva shakily rose from the bed. However, her knees failed her as she stood and she collapsed onto the floor with a small cry. The small bit of dignity that she had left from being dumped onto the floor after bringing in bed all day, failed her and tears began to drip down her ashen cheeks.

With no strength at all and no will power, Minerva lay on the floor cried. What had started as a few tears and a bit of sniffling soon escalated into full drawn out hysterical sobbing. Shaking so badly that she could not even see clearly, though her glasses had long since fallen off, Minerva could not remember feeling so helpless.

Albus knocked at Minerva's door, hoping that she would not be awake. Still he knocked in case she was. He had just been preparing himself to say the password and enter, when he heard a muffled cry from the bedroom. Instantly he said the password and opened the door. Rushing through the sitting room, Albus put his ear to the bedroom door. The sound of crying was slightly muffled but he still heard it.

He acted without thinking and within seconds, Albus found himself kneeling down next to Minerva.

He wanted to take her into his arms and comfort her, but not knowing how she would react to that stayed him. Being her friend and a gentleman, Albus would not take advantage of the situation for his own personal gain of holding her.

Suddenly, Minerva looked up from the floor and saw him. A sound that sounded very a kin to a gasped cry escaped her lips and she slipped from the precarious position she was in on her knees. But her head never hit the floor.

Albus reached out and easily caught her. Cradling her gently into arms, he lifted her up from the floor and onto the bed. He made to let her go, but she had wrapped her arms around him and had buried her head into his chest. Finally more content than both had ever been, the Head Master and Deputy Head Master of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft truly fell asleep for the first time that day.

Early the next morning—

The golden sun had not yet risen when Albus opened his eyes. It was morning, but he had never been one to rise early so he tunneled deeper into the covers and closed his eyes. It was not until he felt the bed move slightly that he remembered where he was.

Minerva had long established a routine for her life. She had gotten up in the morning at 4 o'clock every morning since she had been a teacher at Hogwarts. Usually she had even made it across the floor to the bathroom. Sickness had twice interfered with her waking, but nothing else had ever inhibited her. Until that morning when strong arms wrapped around her waist and kept her in bed.

At first Minerva had panicked. But almost as soon as she had stiffened and reached for her wand, she caught a glimpse of a cap lying on the bedroom floor. Only one man in the entire world wore a hat so absurdly colorful and patterned. Thankfully he was also the only man she would ever forgive for climbing into bed with her.

"Albus." She whispered hoping he would wake up and leave. Not that she wanted him to go. She enjoyed his presence very much and would have given anything to have him stay. But it was not proper in the least for him to remain in her bed or even in her bedroom.

"Hmm?" The man in question murmured softly. Minerva almost smiled at how childlike he was acting.

"It is morning and I am no longer ill." It was morning and that made her statement half true, but Albus could tell from her elevated body heat that she was still ill.

"My dear. I believe you are still sick." And saying that Albus pulled her back into the covers.

A silent moment passed as each person pondered over the right thing to do. Albus had pulled Minerva back into his embrace while awake. A defined wrong. Minerva had not protested or said anything. Another defined wrong.

"Maybe I should sit." Albus said sadly letting go of Minerva and sitting up. "Fell asleep last night. Sorry. I came to check on you and found you…"

"It was no bother." Minerva whispered softly. Albus tucked the covers more securely around her and climbed fully out of the bed.

Moaning softly from the pain she felt, Minerva closed her eyes. Suddenly her sharp mind formulated a daring but foolproof plan.

"Albus!" She said loudly, straining to sit up. He was at her side before the last syllable was muttered.

"Yes, my dear?"

" I am freezing." She whispered between chattering teeth.

"Minerva. You have five blankets on already and you were fine a moment ago…" he trailed off when she nodded. "If you insist." He climbed back into the bed and pulled the sick women into his arms.

"Still cold?" he asked.

"Who was cold?"

_It is 2008 so I used 2008 words-please review if you enjoyed this story. I really enjoy reviews._


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